Method of assembling poultry coops



May 24, 1,932. o. F, CARPENTER METHOD OF ASSEMBLING OULTRY -COOPS FiledJuly 15, 1951 3 Sheets-.Sheet l o. F. CARPENTER 1,860,232

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING POULTRY COOPS May 24, 1932.

Filed July 15. 1951 5 Sheets-'sheep 2 May 24, 1932. o. F. CARPENTERMETHOD OF ASSEMBLING POULTRY GOOPS 5 sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 15, 1951gmc/nto@ Ose F Uarfenef Patented May 214, 1932 osE F. CARPENTER, orenreairuroon,` Vine-Inria" 'METHOD `or' .AssEMBLING roUtTitYoooP-s4applicanni .mea Juiyris, 1931. serial 110.5505973.

This invention relates -to amethod of as# sembling a poultry coopvwherein the manu' facture of all of the parts of the coop, exceptsetting it up, are completed ina factory provided with extensivemachinery, equip-A ment and expertmechanics, so that such parts of thecoop may then be shipped-in ex-l tremely compact form andiat a minimum'oftransportation expense to be readily assembled by a novice orinexpert person vat the destination Where the coop is to be used. 4

In orderV to understand `and appreciate the merit and importance of thisinvention, itshould here be explained fthatcoops must not only beVstrong and Well made according` to the specifications insisted upon bythe carriers, but they must be extremely cheap in price. This! is trueto Vsuch an extent that most of the coops must bemanufactured Within alimited radius from the 'point' of use. A coop set up rea-,dyforuselconsumes so much cubicfeet of space that theV freight charge fortransporting coops forany con-f siderable distanceV makes the costexcessive.v

Consequently the manufacturers ,equippedV to make the best coops,lalthough they may' meet local competition, are unabletofship ltheircoops any great distance because of freight tariffs7 with the resultthat many sections of the country are eitherA equipped With" a very poorgrade of coopl or `they must suffer from an excessivecost for coops AinWhich to ship their poultryto the market.`

VThis invention is sought to overcome the di'hiculties outlined above.`.The setting up or'rassembling of a complete coop at the facV tory isreally the Work of an extremely eX- pert coop maker. Y past has vbeendone in factories wherein the `method of procedure is to'lconstruotthe'top,H

this beingthe portion 4ordinarily provided With the door; rods,round`incross-section,

are then driven into holeslformed in the side and end rails of the'top,` after Whiohthe side and 'end rails, respectivelygof thebottonnarethen driven onto the opposite`ends of the rods by use ofvvhat is knownasthe touch system for feelingand guiding the V rods into the holes as thedriving operation progu'esses.V After the tophas `been connect-V All ofthis Work in the ed to the sidev and end rails of. the lbottom by meansofthe'vertical rods as just 'de-'5 scribed, awplurality the bottom railsto form a flooring. .y

` The foregoing is the generally recognized conventional method ofassembling a coop at the factory completejand ready-for shipp 'i `ofboards are nailedjto'44 ment and use. The bottom or ooringis al- Waysput on last'.` y 1 .u

`In my invention, land ingorder toprepare the various parts of acoopV ascompletely as it may be done at the factory and Lat tfhe I sameltimehave 'theseparts sov 'they may he Y transported ydisassembled and yet beassembled byfxone unskilled in that line ofwork,

"it has become'necessary tol reverse Ventirely the method of procedure,so that, generally j i stated, the bottom Vorflo'or"portion isfcom#pleted first and the 'assembly process starts with the bottom andendsWith the top instead of startingevvith the top and ending i -Wit'h thebottom portion, inaccordance with Coops lprior to my present invention.-Anther advantage of using my l"method the 01d and'recognizedmethod*oflniildingv of assembly, whereby theL bottom `is,entirely l completedfirst, fis' that by thus nailingthe floor boards tothe bottom frame, an ordinary nailing *machine With cleatingattaclunent` maybe used to bend over and securely cleat the nails'to theframe softhatthe floor boards f V cannot be removed without leavingevidence of such removal., VAt,".therpresent Ytifmeshippers are`"greatly Aannoyedbecause flooring Aof @oops is 'ordinarily notcleatedi' and Vhandlers of poultry sometimes pry :loose a Hoor board,- f removesome of the poultry `from the coop,

and .replace the board WithoutV leaving 4any u `evidence of tampering.`In vthis. vvay"myl method of assembling a coop'really-resultss in astronger and Il lforel'securecoop than that-.fi-

customarily noWproduced'bymost coop factories. 'A

with .are fregoiagfand .athe-bajate view, the invention consists ofthenew'andf improved.'n'1ethd hereinafterfmoraspeei- Y cally described,'of assemblinga poultryflcoop,

but itis to befunderstood` thatchang'efsyvay o i.

riations- -rand modicationsmay be resorted Ylo to V'Without departingfrom the scope of the inventionas claimed. The drawings illustratevarious'stages in the assembling of a 'coop in conformity With themethod which Vcomprises my invention.

Like reference characters denote corresponding parts through the several'views` Figurel is the rst step in the assembling of the coop, andillustrating also the building ofsuch a coop with reinforcingnii'ddleside and end- 'f Figure 2 is a perspectiveview illustrating 'tionadjacent the top ofthe raised to Ya pos ,vertical rods which kformgthewalls, and which kconstitutes the second-step Y of the 2g method. f

Y side rails@ A "Figure 5 isV afperspectiveiof 'the fourth step Ywherein the endftoprails, separated from the side Atop rails, areVdriven into engagements with the end vertical rods `by bending theseYY' V.rods outward slightly and proceeding as illustrated in Figure 3 ofthedrawings.'

Figure Gis a perspectiveof the coop show'-v ing the iifthst'ep of themethod whereinlthe end top rails, after engagement with the end verticalrods, are moved toward each. other. andinto'enga'gement with ytheend's,of th'e'side topf rails as shown.

Figure 7 is japerspectiveillustrating the` f finishedcoop and show ing-Vthevsixth step of the method which comprises locking'thejcornerstogether by `means ofverticalicornerrods andy nails driven transverselytherethrough to/bind thev unit together.

Figure 8 is afragmentary perspeetive view 'i of .the bottom `and rail. i

Figure is a detail in sectionof .a topside railfillustrating how` thetransverse rods o thetop and the verticalgrodsl are inserted linto Vtherail. V c;

Referring Vto the drawings, the bottom is generallyjidentiiied bythenumeral'1, and

V, inerls v Y "x-jfThe rbottom 1 comprises side rails 5,4formedYWitheajplurality'ofspiaced, holes '-illedupart, Way transverselytherethrough Vthroughout th-e'top 2, the vertical sidewalls bythevnumeralfS-andthe ve'rticaljend walls byfnu thelen'gth'nof the; rail,-and. formedY With a bifurcation at opposite lends thereof. End

i -vrailsf areisimilarly'drilled but with yatenon Y Satitsendsadapt'edto.engage with thebifurcation (rtatthel ends Yof thesidefrails.

H "o1es19- are drilled through the' bifurcation a perspective'viewillustrating the reinforcing *middle* side i and end rails openings`made up as and tenon so as to register when the vside and end railsareengaged. The floor 10Y is then nailed securely to the sidev and endrails so that the holes drilled in said rails will be eX- posed. TheWork of thus forming the bottom is performed at the factory.

The top 2 is formed-of side rails 11 with 1` bifurcations12 atthe endsyas in the case of Y the bottoinvsi'de rails. End rails 13r are tenonedas Vat 14 to engage with the bifurcation 12 of the vside rails.-'Thefend rails are formed with slots 18 therethrough adapted to receivetenons 16 formed Vupon the ends of reinforcing rails 17. Saidreinforcing rails 17 are formed wi'th holes 18 transversely therethroughspaced aparts'oasto register with ing .through the 'holes in the rails17, and snugly driven into the openings 19 of each 19 drilledtransversely in theside rails111. Transversely of ihe'top 2 and pass- Ylof the side rails11, are aplurality of rods 20V i v`extending entirelyacross the top member of the coop eXcepting-.only the center thereofwherein is left an opening. ink which a pivoted or hinged door21ismounted for ready access: tothe coop. `Horizontally along Vtheundersideof the side andend rails 11-and 13 are. drilled a pluralityAofopenings spaced' apart to register withr the .openings drilled inA the.side and end ,bottomv rails v5 vand 7, respectively.'

rf'llheend top railsv 13rare fitted engagei mentrwith ythe side/toprails 11 and therein- I forcing. top rails'l?, whereupon lioles22 aredrilled through the bifurcated and teno'n ends Oftlfieengagedrails. Thelend top v rails are thusfleft in a condition to be readily remov-Vable,V fromengagement `with the Y side top c railswhen -it is desired toassemble the coop. A plurality. of rods 23, round in cross-secf tion,areypreparedjfor'thevsides, vends, anc l corners.Y For that especiallystrong and rigid, reinforcing `middle side rails 2 4; andreinforcingmiddle end rails 24;" are j provided with spaced holesdrilledftransversely therethrough adapted to register with the openingsin the bottom and Ytop side and' end railsvv respectively. These'reinforcing middle ,side jrails are provided type ofcoopithat is'tobemade l V vwitha cutaway portion -attlie inner part-of theirend edges, asat25 adaptedtoy engage i 'with ,the ends of the reinforcingmiddle endrails tofforrn alocl; against movement of the reinforcing railswithrespect, tovea'ch other.

The; reinforcing rails are ofless lengthfrthan theother rails. Y f

In shipping the variouslparts formedand heretofore described,Vv thesideand end middle reinforcing rails QiandQi, to-

gethei'with thejvertical rods23 are placed* withinthe recessV formedbythe sidefand end A .i

rails of the bottom The top, Aformed as previously described,istneirsuperpesedV upon theV bottom, wfo rinedjasj previously described,

. in height, as compared with a height of labout thirteen :inches whichis the displacement thus Vmaking ja receptacle, extremely com; pact landless than'iztwo-i-and `one-half inches measurement of "acompletedcoopready for In assembling the 4coop,.pre-formed in the manner and tothe extent heretofore `described,'iand the .steps of .which constitutethe invention claimed herein, I irst superimposeV the sid-e and endmiddle'reinforcing ra-ilsf2'4: and 24C upon the side and end bottomrails Vand 7 respectively, asshown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Ithereupon drive the rods 23 individually through the `holes inthereinforcing .middle rails 24A and 24 and into the openings 9' formedinthe side land end lbottom rails,- these rods thus assuming a verticalpositio It should be here `explained that some `coops are made withoutthe reinforcing middle The method here described applies as .well tocoops thatQare'assembled,

rails `24 and 24.

without the middlereinforcing rail as those with it. When thesereinforcing railsV `are not used the steps describing its use are simplyeliminatedfrom the `method of 'assern bling.

The next step is to through the reinforcing rods are slightly greaterVin circumference than the rods, the sliding of the reinforcing rail onthe rodsis not difficult. Howeven' the openings inthe bottom rails aswell as the' top rails formV a snugit for the vertical rods. Thereforewhen these rods are driven by,means -ofja mallet or hammer within theopenings, they tend-to hold fastfand are not displaced by moving themiddle reinforcing rail upward'-k ly with respect to theverti'cal rods.if

Since the openingsin 'the 'topY side rails f register with thefholes inthe middle reinforcing rails, `the movement of the latter toward the topof thevertical rods automatically positions the upper ends of therodssothat there is no difficulty in having the ends of the rods register withthe holes in the side and end'rails 'of the top so that by usingthe Vsetblock 26 against whichtopound to avoid splitting Vthe rail, engagementfof' the top withfthevertical rods is easilyV and quickly Yaccomplished. However, before the topnis thus driven into engagementwith Athe vertical side rails, the end rails 13 Vof the top have Ypreviously been removed. Y Otherwise itis `not possible to attach thetop to theside and -end vertical rods. f .n p y The end rails 213 arethen driven intoen` gagement with thel vertical endrods 23 bybendingvthese rods outward slightly to avoid engagement with the ends ofthe top i2 While the end rails are thusbeingsecured to the raise themiddle reinev forcing rails on the rods to4 apointadjacent the tops ofthe vertical rodsasill-ustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. Since the'holes' vertical end rods. Whe'nthe end top rails V have been thussecured, thel naturalV spring tension of thel rods ltends to lforcetheend of the coop lthus formed'into engagement with the bifurcatedendsl2. of the .side top railsfm Y and the tenons 16 of thereinforcing toprails', 1

as shown by Figure 6.v 1 p n lThe next step inthe methodfis to move to amiddle position the'middle reinforcingrails 24 and 24'? in whichposition they'areheldby means of a few nails driven VIAtransversely the'corner rods, respectively.

iVhatIclaim is f v '1. In' amethod of assembling a poultry coop `of"t-hattype including a bottom having its upper `face provided with 'endinterengaging side andendrails and' atop having fend e linterengaging'side and end rails detachably connectedttogether,` said rails.havingspacedpmeans for receiving wall forming rodsg'driving wall;forming rods ,into said means of the rails on saidgbottomi toformtheside Vand end walls of the coop, disconnecting theend rails`driving one of -the'topside rails Aupon the rods forming one side wall,driving the lother. l top side frail upon the rods forming the otherside walL-then successively driving the to endrails upon the rodsformingtheendwalls Y* of, the 'top' fromthe siderails. ofthe llatter,

ofithe coop whilesuchrods -are-sprungbut-` wardly and'thenfsuccessively` connecting the end top railsto the ends ofthe top vsiderails.

2. 'In a method yof:"assembling Va poultry fcoop of thattype including abottom ifhav# ing its upperfalce provided'with end nterf "Y l engagingiside and end vrails anda top have" j Y ingend interengaging side andend rails de?. tach-ably connectedtogether,fsaid rails having spacedL.meansf for receiving wall forming rods, driving wallv forming frofdsinto said means ofthe rails oli-said `bottom toriorm the,` side and `endVwalls. of theco'op. .disconnecting the end rails of the top from thesideirailsofj the latter, driving one ofthe vtop side'rails upon therods forming one side walflzydriving L the other top side rai-lupon therods forming" Y the'othergside wall,then :successively Idriving thetopAand rails upon-the .rods forming the `end. walls of thefcoopwhile suchrods are sprung outwardly, thenfsuccessively connect ing, the endtoprails to the ends of {thetop side rails,'andthenlfsecuringcorner-posts to 1 the` interengaging endsof the top'rails `and totheinterengaging ends of lthebottom rails;

In almethodof assembling ap'oulftry Y' cooplof that typeincluding abottom having its upper face provided l`with end interevrigag'-v Y sa,he end Walls While suchrods are sprung V.ce

ing side and. end.rails,av top` having end interen gagin gside and endrails detachably con'- nectedtogetherand reinforcing rails'for eachlofthe Walls of the coop, Asaid rails having means forreceivingwallformingrods, posi'- "tionin'glthev reinforcing `rails uponAthe side L landV` end rails on saidbottom, driving vWall forming rodsthrough said reinforcing' rails and into the meansof the-sideV and endrails o-n saidbottom to form the side and end Walls i offthe coop,shiftingthe vreinforcing rails. i

upwardly onfsaidldriven rods to a position adjacentthe upper endsthereof, disconnectingtheV end rails of the top fromthe side vrails ofrthe' latter, driving one of the top' side rails upon the rods'formingone side Wall, driving the: other top vside rail uponthe rods formingthe other side Wall, then successively driving the top end rrailsupontherods forming outwardly, thenv successively 'connecting the i end toprails to the ends of the side rails, and then shifting 4the reinforcingrails toa position substantiallyA centrally ofsaid Walls.

i If) Y rhln amethod" of assembling a poultry* Y y.jcoopot r.that typeincluding abottoin havingv each of the Walls of thecoop, saidrails'hav-v Y ing meansV for receivingV Wall'forming rods,

Y positioning the reinforcing railsuponthe side Y and. end rails on`rsaid. bottom, 4driving Wall Y Y upper face provided Withyendinterengag-l ing sidefand endrail'sfa top'having endint-erengaging.sideV kand end rai-ls detachably connectedtogether and reinforcing railsfor forming rods through said reinforcing'rails and into the means ofthesideandend rails i Y on said bottom to form thesideia'nd end Wallsfof thelco'op, vshiftingithe 'reinforcing' rails upwardly lon saiddriven rods toa position adjacent the -upperrend's thereof,disconnectingfthe end railsof the top fromthe side rails Yof the latter,driving one of the topside rails Y Y upon the rods forming one'sideWall, driving theother top side rail upon therods forming the other sideWall, then successively driving i theftop'endlrailsupon the rodsformingthe Y end Wallsyvhi-le suchV rods are sprung out-y Y Wardlyqthensuccessively;connectingthe end topv rails lto ythe ends `ofthe/side-rails, and

V- 'A then shifting' the reinforcing rails Vto; afposi-A Vtionsubstantially centrally of said Walls, and

` then securingcorner posts to the interengagends of thebottoin rails.`

i' -oifsaid bottom to-V form the sideiand end rails ofthe topV from theside rails of thelatte-r, successively driving the iside rails ofthetop" trails,

upon the rods forming the side Walls"v of the coop, successivelyldriving the-rend rails of'v the top upon the rods forming the end'Walls f Vofthe coop'wliile such rods'are sprung out- Wardly,successively securing rthe end rails ofthe top to the side rails of thelatter, uti-1 lizing the reinforcing rails asgu'ides-during f Y thedriving vofthe rods init-othe vrailsffo'nY said bottom and when drivingthe rails of the top #upon said rods, and then "positioning saidreinforcing rails`A substantially i, centrally of the Walls of the coop.f

' 6. In amethod Vof assembling a'cpoultry coop'ofthat-typeincludingfa.bottomhaving i its upperface provided vvithv "side'f'a'ndend reinforcing rails 'for' each of the Walls` of the a top havingsideandfendrailsfand p coop, the rails beingV provide'dwith spaced i meansfor receiving Wall forming rods, driv@ ing Wall forming rods intovsaidmeans of the rails on said bottom to form the side and end rails ofthe top fromV the sideirails of the latter, successivelyy driving theside rails of c the top upon'the rods forming the sidewalls of the coop,successively driving t-he end rails of the top upon the rods Vformingthefend vvalls ofthe/coopfvvhile such'rods-are sprung outwardly,successively securing the endrails y of theetop to theside Walls of thelatter, uti

li'zing the reinforcinggrails as guides during lthe ldriving of the rodsinto the rails onsaid bottoinand' When driving the rails ofthe top uponsaid rods,fand then positioning said re-` inforcing rails substantiallyYcentrallyY of` the Walls lof the coop, and thensecuring corner posts tothe ends ofthe top' and bottom rails.

cof

7.' In a' method of assembling a poultry coop of thatvtype includingabottoin having rails anda top having side Yand end rails, saidlrailshaving spaced means for receiving Wall forming rods,'drivin'g vWallforming rods VVitsupper face'providedWith side and'end Y into said meansof the railsl on saidfb'ottoin to `form thesideiand end rails ofthecoop,

disconnecting theend railsjof the 'atop from Y the side rails of theflatter, successively.` drivi-y Y ing vthe, side Vrailsfofthe top upon,the rods a Y forming the side Walls, successively driving c the toplend rails upon the lrods:forming-the endl walls ofthe'coop Wliile';suchi rods are sprung outwardly, and then connectingthe c top end railsto the top side rails.

8l In a method of assembling V into said means of the rails onsaidbottomto fform'the sideand end rails ofi-'the coop, 1"' disconnectingtheendrails lof'v the topfrom the side rails of vthe latter, successivelydriv: Y' ing the siderails'Y vof the top uponftheY rods forming thes'idewalls, successively ldriving the top'end Vrailsnpon-the rods formingtliej i l VVpoultry c Y v VVcoop of that 4type including a bottomhaving.V yits upperface provided with sidefand end rails anda top havingside and end rail'swsaid p rails having spaced Imeans for .receivingwallformingV rods,- driving'1-wall formingjrods i Y end Walls'of thecoop-While such rods Vare .sprung outwardly,

and Vthen connecting fthe Securmg Comer POSS t0 15h@` ends of said fopandV bottom rails.V

' ,In testimony whereof, I Vix my sigriarre' *Y d hereto.

QSE GARPENTYER'.`y

